Jewel snorted. “Serves him right.”
“He’s lucky that’s all he got.” Lea grabbed her eyeshadow and painted the light brown over her lids with a small brush.
Jewel raised an eyebrow in a silent agreement. “I don’t know what’s gotten into him.”
“He’s trying to prove something.”
“But what?”
Lea gave her an incredulous look. “You really haven’t figured that out? Especially based on his comment?”
Jewel honestly hadn’t given what he’d said a second thought. She’d been so focused on repairing whatever she’d broken with Lea. Suddenly it hit her. Pain surged through her chest. Humiliation. Then anger.
“There it is.” Lea nodded at her before looking back at the mirror with her mascara in hand. “He thinks because you’re bi and told him and you and I are friends that means you were cheating on him with me. It’s a stupid assumption because we’re friends, but also because that is not how sexuality works.”
Jewel swallowed hard, not answering. She was far too close to just coming out with it all.
“He’s never been the brightest bulb out there, but I did used to give him more credit than this. Either he’s hit a rough part of his life or his true colors are finally showing. I always thought better of him than this.” Lea set her mascara down and grabbed her lipstick.
Jewel remained silent, leaning against the doorframe of the humid bathroom as she watched her best friend have an entire conversation with herself. The words barely registered in her mind. She was so focused on the line of Lea’s back down to the swell of her ass, the precision in her hands as she swiped her lipstick over her mouth, her damp hair still curling at the ends with drops of water falling onto her maroon T-shirt.
“J?”
“Huh? What?”
Lea raised an eyebrow. “You’re staring.”
“Sorry, lost in thought.” At least that was the truth, but she wasn’t about to specify which thought she was lost in. “Are you ready?”
“Uh…yeah.”
Jewel had been right. Sitting the car with Lea smelling like whatever damn fruit her shampoo had in it was overwhelming and not in a good way. They were halfway to town when Lea reached over and touched Jewel’s hand to get her attention.
“I forgot to tell you, I talked to my friend, Eli. We can go to Indigo B & B if you want over spring break.”
“Really?” Jewel’s eyes widened. “Like a real vacation?”
Lea chuckled lightly. “Yes, like a real vacation, during the normal time people do it, too.”
“That’s awesome. Where is it?”
“Next county over, so it’s maybe a twenty minute drive.”
“I’ve never heard of it.”
Lea shrugged. “Eli was one of my students a few years ago. Not a straight A student, but good and smart. She and I connected and have stayed in contact for a few years. Her parents were the vets in town before they retired and left her the farm and everything on it. They would have preferred her do something else, but the farm makes her happy. She needed more consistent income, so she turned the house into a B&B. I think she said she’s doing weddings there now.”
“Interesting. So is it an old house?”
“Decently old? It’s nice. She redid a lot of it. She said we get one of the suites.”
Jewel’s brow knit before she asked slowly, “One of the suites?”
Lea nodded. “She only had one room because it’s so late to be asking, so we’ll have to share. I didn’t think you’d mind. We’ve shared rooms before.”
Panic welled in Jewel’s chest. A week, with Lea, in one room, in one bed. “Are there two beds in the room?”
“I don’t think so.” Lea said it so nonchalantly, like it wasn’t a big deal.